Lamp-base remover



Sept 91 1936` H. D. GRINNELL y 1,775,428

LAMP BASE REMOVER i Patented Sept. 9, v19730 UNITE STATES PATENTtrama;

rrAnoLD n. GRINNELL, or"TSITTsrinnn,` MAssAcHUSETTs, lASSIGNoPJ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, `A COBJPORATTON `on MASSACHUSETTS LAMP-BASE `iam/LOVER `Application ined December 29, 1928.7 seriai No. `329,287.

i i This invention aims to. provide simple and efficient means for removing `the bases ci broken electric lamp bulbs and the like from their sockets. t t y 15 In the accompanying drawings is shown',

merely for illustrative purposes, one embodi` ment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 1s a side elevation o'the device,

showing a detachable handle for `use with il@ `the device when broken inverted lamp bases .are to be removedfwhile dotted lines in said figure illustrateaftype of operating device used in removinghases of `broken lampsgarranged in horizontal or inclined positions.V

li `Fig.2 is a longitudinal-.section through a i lamp base and the gripperend ci thepbase remover, the operative end of thebasere-L mover being shown in operative `position against the r-im of said lamp base; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse'section taken approximatelyon the line 8 3 of Fig. 2, showing distortions of the lamp basedue toV pressure of the gripper thereagainst. l j i i In the particular embodiment of my invention selected for illustrative purposes, I have shown in the drawings a lamp or other base l of the type used on electric lamps, which bases are generally composed-of thin sheet metal forming threads on their outersuriace'sA by 3@ means lof which said bases `may, be screwed into lamp sockets. `Secured within these bases by means of sealing wax 2 or anysuitable binder is a glass stem 3 orfsupporting the ilament of thezlamp, also` a lamp bulb 4C.

When glass bulbs are broken asthey coinmonly are, it is sometimes diicult to remove the bases from their sockets, particularly when the sockets are attached to wallbrackets or chandeliers placed in elevated positions o at some distance from the floor. Y

To remove bases of broken-lamps, I provide a device comprising grippers or gripping elements 5, herein desirably consisting tween them the stem 3 of Vthe lamp should the latter escape being brokenfwhen the bulb is broken. A

Each plate 6 is provided witha Series of serrations or saw-like teeth 9 in one of their y of two plates `6V arranged "approxini'ately` parallel but spaced sufficiently to receive b e` edgesf which, when pressed against the rim of .the base, tend Slightly todistortasaid rim,"

as'. shown at 7 in Figli/, for the purpose of eifecting a grip jupon the baseso that upon ,the turning oiE said plates `the'base will be unscrewed from its socket.

The gripping plates are mounted inasuitable holder which desirably consistsof` a cylindrical'hollow barrel 8 slitted lat 10` and l2 to receive the plates 6, said slits extending i? longitudinally 'of thebarrel forV a portion only of` its length to receive major portions of the plates 6,- leaving the serratedends thereof protruding from `the slits as shown atri.-V r D Theinner ends of the plates 6 are extended laterally on opposite Asides at 16 beyond the periphery` of the holder 8 to form shoulders 18 which seat against a collar `20bored to lit snugly over the `slitted end of said holder and maintain said platesseated firmly against the ends 22 of the slits l0 and l2, thus rigidly holding said grippers in Said holder.` Screws 24 are herein provided'rforfsecuring thefcollar 20 to` said holder,` although `lit is to be understoodthat the` invention is not limited to such fastening means nor-to the specific details of holder herein described.

'fil

The serratededgesof the plates 6 are de# sirably shown convexly curved, permitting the teeth thereof, withinjthe rim of saidbase, to project into the sealing wax 2 and assist in providing a firmer grip upon ,thefbase`` 1 A suitable handle is provided for the holder 8 `for 'holding the grippers Yagainst the openl end of a lamp base and for rotating said base to unscrew it from its socket. To this end a shaft 26is secured tothe holder 8, `herein by means "of a screw 28. The shaft 26 is desirably hollow, at least at the end secured to Said holder to `receive the stem?) of the lamp. The oppositeend of said shaft is provided with a spring pin or latch 30 for registering ahole 32 shown dotted in the side of the socket 34 of an operating pole 36 shown hll as are reachable in an axial direction, but there are many bases so arranged that an axial approach is impossible and must be operated from a point substantially at right angles to the axis, in which case I provide an enlargement 38 secured upon the shaft 26. This enlargement is desirably made cylindrical and about the size of an electric light bulb so that it may be grasped by any suitable `lamp remover adapted for such purposes, such for example as disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,752,737, issuedto this applicant April l, 1930. The operative end of such a device is shown in dotted lines at 40 (see Fig. l of the drawings). l

The teeth 9 of the gripping plates are V- shaped and when pressed against the rim of the lamp base the inclined sides of said teeth force the portions of the rim engaged by said teeth either outwardly or inwardly according to which side of the tooth engages said vrim thereby indenting said rim as indicated at 7, Fig. 3, which indentations prevent the teeth from slipping around said rim when the plates are rotated. p

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the device described herein is capableofeasily removing bases of broken lamps from practically any position and even though the lamp bulbs are entirely or only partially destroyed. If only partially destroyed, the plates 6 upon being rotated will ream out the remaining glass protruding from the end of the base if said glass is incapable of providing sufhcient purchase for unscrewing said base.

The invention is not limited to the specific form shown.

Claims: v

l. In a lamp base remover, in combination, a holder and a blade-like member carried by the holder and having indented edge portions for engaging the lamp base at opposed points in a line tangent to a circle about the Vaxis of which the holder is adapted to be rotated.

2. In a lamp base remover, in combination, a holder and base gripping means, including a transversely arranged blade-like portion carried by the holder and having indented portions for engaging the rim of the base at opposed points within a segment of the circle formed by said rim.

3. In a lamp base remover, in combination, a holder and a pair of blades carried by the holder and arranged on opposite sides ofthe axis of the holder, each of said blades having indented portions adapted to engage the rim of the lamp base at opposed points.

4. A lamp base remover for application to lamp bulbs having a base 'portion rotated with the lamp bulb during removal, and including a handle, a tubular member carried by the handle, and a pair of blades carried by the tubular member, each having serrated Y i edge portions arranged transversely of the lamp base, said blades being arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the lamp bulb.

5. In a lamp base remover, base gripping means including spaced transversely arranged members each having a base engaging edge provided with a series of oppositely inclined surfaces to respectively engage the rim of the lamp base at opposed points.

6. A base remover comprising, in combination, base gripping elements including spaced plates having eonvexly curved edges provided with saw-like teeth, a holder for said plates, a shaft secured to said holder and means to engage said shaft to move the teeth of said spaced plates into engagement with the rim of the base and for turning said base.

7 In a device of the character described, in combination, gripper plates, a holder for said plates including a hollow barrel having slits to receive said plates extending longitudinally from one end of said barrel for a portion of the length thereof and a collar surrounding the slitted end of said barrel for maintaining said plates in said slits.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, gripper plates provided with shoulders near their inner ends, a holder for said plates including a hollow barrel having slits to receive said plates extending longitudinally from one end of said barrel for a portion of the length thereof and a collar surrounding the slitted end of said barrel against the shoulders of said gripper plates for maintaining said plates in said slits.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, gripper plates, a holder for said plates including a hollow cylindrical barrel having slits extending longitudinally from one end of said barrel for a portion of the length thereof and a collar surrounding the slitted end of said barrel for maintaining said plates in said slits.

l0. A base remover comprising, in combination, a base removing device including a pair of spaced approximately parallel plates each having V-shaped notches in one edge to engage the rim of the base for the purpose of crimping said rim and for providing gripping surfaces to effect unscrewing of said base.

ll. A lamp base remover comprising, in combination, lamp base gripping means, a holder for said gripping means, a shaft upon which said holder is secured and an enlargement attached to said shaft capable of being gripped by a bulb removing device to effect the turning of the lamp holder' against the lamp base whereby said base may be unscrewed from its socket from a position at an angle to the axis of the base.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HAROLD D. GRINNELL. 

